Author: kajarbi54

Members of Ghana’s Parliament have passed the 24-Hour Economy Authority Bill, a government intervention programme aimed at encouraging and supporting businesses to operate around the clock. The bill was approved on Friday following extensive deliberations and debate between the Majority and Minority caucuses on the floor of the House. Introduced by the current administration, the 24-hour economy policy was laid before Parliament in late 2025. It is designed to transform the country’s economy into a fully operational 24-hour system. However, during deliberations, members of the Minority caucus raised concerns about the policy, warning that if not carefully implemented, it could…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced a new national initiative that places family units at the center of Nigeria’s social and economic development agenda. Declaring 2026 as the “Year of Families and Social Development,” the president said the move is aimed at tackling deep-rooted challenges such as poverty, insecurity, and social instability by strengthening family structures across the country. The announcement was made on Friday in a statement issued by the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim. According to the statement, the initiative will focus on strengthening household incomes, providing parenting and family support programmes, and expanding…

At least 22 people, including the medical director and three staff members of Al-Kuweik Military Hospital, were killed in a bombing in South Kordofan State, Sudan. Eight others were reported injured in the attack, which has been attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The Sudan Doctors Network confirmed the attack in a statement, condemning the targeting of the hospital and describing it as a violation of international law. The organization called on all parties involved in the conflict to refrain from attacking civilians, markets, and other essential infrastructure. In a separate incident, at least 12 civilians were injured when…

The Republic of Congo’s President Denis Sassou Nguesso has confirmed his intention to run for another term in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for March, potentially extending his more than four-decade-long rule. In a statement from the presidency, Nguesso announced his candidacy before a crowd of several thousand in the southern district of Ignie. At 82, he is one of Africa’s oldest serving leaders. Constitutional reforms passed in 2015 removed the previous age limit of 70 for presidential candidates and introduced three five-year terms, allowing Nguesso to legally stand for re-election. Nguesso first led the country under a one-party system…

A High Court in Enugu, South-East Nigeria, has ordered the British Government to pay £420 million (over N780 Billion Naira) in compensation to the families of 21 coal miners killed in the 1949 Iva Valley massacre, in a landmark ruling on colonial-era human rights violations. Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice A.O. Onovo held that the killings were unlawful and awarded £20 million per victim. The court directed the British Government to pay the full compensation within 90 days, with post-judgment interest of 10 percent annually until the amount is fully settled. The miners were protesting harsh working conditions, racial discrimination…

The Netherlands has returned a 3,500-year-old Egyptian sculpture that was looted and later resurfaced in Europe, marking a significant repatriation of cultural heritage. The stone artifact, a carved head from a block statue depicting a senior official from Pharaoh Thutmose III’s reign (1479–1425 BC), is believed to have originated in Luxor, southern Egypt. Investigations by Dutch authorities confirmed that the sculpture was likely stolen during the 2011 Arab Spring unrest and subsequently entered the international art market. The piece was seized in 2022 at an art fair in Maastricht. Sycomore Ancient Art, the gallery that had acquired the sculpture, voluntarily…

Nigeria has unveiled its National Halal Economy Strategy, seeking to capitalize on the $7.7 trillion global halal market and strengthen its position in international trade and investment. President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said the strategy could add $1.5 billion to the nation’s GDP by 2027, creating jobs and expanding exports. The strategy focuses on halal food exports, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, halal tourism and ethical finance, with potential revenues of $12 billion by 2030. It also aims to enhance food security and support SMEs. Highlighting quality, safety, traceability and ethics, the President…

Members of the National Assembly’s Public Finance Committee (PEC) have raised concerns over the absence of a formal dividend policy at The Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) after the state-owned enterprise disclosed that it paid out hundreds of millions of dalasi to the government in recent years. During deliberations on the follow-up performance audit of cargo handling operations at the Port of Banjul, GPA management confirmed that dividend payments were made based on board decisions and industry practice rather than a codified national framework. Officials told lawmakers that the authority paid D170 million as dividend for 2023 and has already paid…

Ghana and Zambia have signed a historic agreement allowing citizens from both countries to travel between them without the need for a visa. Officials say the move will promote closer cultural connections and create new opportunities for business and tourism. The announcement came during Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama’s state visit to Zambia, where discussions focused on enhancing trade, tourism, and diplomatic relations. Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, described the visa waiver as “one of the most significant achievements” of the visit, noting that it will eliminate longstanding administrative barriers faced by students, professionals, tourists, and business people.…

The United States and the United Arab Emirates have pledged a combined $2 billion in aid to support Sudan amid its ongoing civil war, committing $1.5 billion and $500 million respectively. The pledges were announced at a U.S.-hosted donors’ conference aimed at mobilising emergency funding and renewing diplomatic pressure for a ceasefire. Representing the UAE at the meeting, Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh said the discussions were taking place at a particularly sensitive time, noting the added strain on vulnerable communities as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan approaches. Sudan has been locked in a violent power struggle since 2023,…